Retirement Planning Mistakes Investors Often Make

Planning for retirement is commonly focused on the accumulation of wealth. While building up savings prior to retirement is critical, having a plan for transitioning to and living in retirement is also important. It is in this second part where many common mistakes are made. This article highlights some of these mistakes to help you avoid them.

Probably the biggest financial challenge for Americans is assuring a satisfactory and sustainable standard of living in retirement. Today, it is not uncommon for a retirement to last 30 years, with people retiring in their early 60s and at least one member of a couple often living into their 90s. However, funding these long retirements is a daunting challenge for individuals and governments alike. Postponing retirement by even just one year can boost a couple’s annual inflation-adjusted retirement income by 6.5% to 8.0%.

Out-of-pocket health care expenditures may be less than projections suggest for the majority of retirees. A small proportion of retirees, however, will incur substantial out-of-pocket expenses because of nursing home care.

Volatile and uncertain market conditions are particularly troublesome for those who have recently retired or are near retirement. The decisions made during this critical period can significantly determine whether savings will last throughout one’s lifetime. Here are some simple steps that can increase the odds of maintaining a desired lifestyle in retirement.

More than $2.5 trillion in deals were announced during the first half of the year, putting mergers and acquisitions in 2018 on pace to surpass $5 trillion. That would be the largest yearly total on record. Which statement about mergers and acquisitions do you agree with the most?

Vote to answer this week’s Special Question: Do you think the surge in mergers and acquisitions is a sign of a robust and sustainable economic and business environment or marks the last gasp of the current economic expansion?

Last Week’s Results:

With President Trump threatening tariffs on the entirety of the $500-billion-plus in Chinese imports to the U.S., an all-out trade war between the U.S. and China could be around the corner. The latest AAII survey asks whether our readers are adjusting their portfolios or investment strategies in light of this threat and, if so, how.

This e-book, which is available exclusively to AAII members, was written to help our members achieve a financially secure retirement. The book offers an overview of many of the primary considerations for retirement planning, including: how much you need to save; where your retirement income will come from; what asset classes you should invest in; and what you should take advantage of in your company’s defined contribution plan (if available).

The AAII Weekly Digest is one of the many benefits of AAII membership. To learn more, consider a 30-day Trial AAII Membership to start becoming an effective manager of your own assets.